WESTFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – Rocky’s Ace Hardware store in Westfield told 22News they had to bring out last year’s ice melt because they hadn’t yet received this year’s shipment.

The first snow storm is the one that reminds us we need to drive slowly on snow covered roads. In Westfield, the snow-slicked surfaces forced traffic to move at a snail’s pace; cars and trucks were skidding and sliding. In some places Thursday, traffic slowed to 20 mph.

Rocky’s customers came in looking to buy anything that would help them deal with the snow. Brendan Malanson told 22News, “Right now, ice melt, which we had to pull out from what we had left over from last year, because we haven’t had our shipment of ice melt yet. I sold a bunch to a few contractors already. And they’re looking for the shovels already too.”

Malanson said they sold about 20 shovels and the remainder of last year’s ice melt.

The slick sidewalks even made walking difficult in some places, but conditions improved after the snow changed over to rain.